Dorothy
Collings
TRIBUTE
BY
DR. THE HON. JOYCE L. ROBINSON, O.J., M.B.E.,
(Formerly: Director, Jamaica Library Service, Director, JAMAL Foundation,
Director, Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation, Director, Heart Trust)
The many tributes already paid to the late Dr. Dorothy
Collings have created a most accurate impression of an outstanding
professional colleague who has made unique contributions to the
world of librarianship and to library development. As a colleague
and friend of over forty years, it gives me very great pleasure
to endorse all that has been said already and to say at this stage
Amen! Amen!
Dorothy was a very private person, although she
publicly gave so much of herself and services. As we close the tributes
paid to her on this programme today, I can only add that the more
her personal friends got to know her, the more our respect, affection
and love for her have grown. Personally speaking, I am most grateful
to her for having been my mentor and "soul sister" from
my early days as Director of Jamaica Library Service. I cherish
memories of the warm welcome she extended as I timidly entered the
international library scene. Whether it was at the American Library
Association meetings or at I.F.L.A. Conferences in Washington (U.S.A.),
Grenoble (France), or Frankfurt (Germany), Dorothy would always
track down the hotels of her West Indian colleagues and ensure that
we made the best use of professional opportunities the programmes
had to offer.
22This distinguished international librarian was
like a big sister guiding our professional path by introducing us
to her many illustrious friends and encouraging us to participate
in sharing our experiences.Indeed, to her friends, Dorothy has become
an intimate part of our individual lives and daily we are reminded
of the wonderful examples she set for us and the inspiration and
encouragement she continues to give, even afer departure in body.
Those who were very close recognised the extra-ordinary value she
gave to the word "Friend." She has remained a lasting
link between her friends. Many of us knew of each other through
Dorothy. Consequently, when years after, we met in the flesh, we
were already old friends. We thank her for this.
Foremost among her best friends was her late husband
"Bill" - the tall, handsome New Zealander and distinguished
international publisher. Any friendly reference to, or communication
with Dorothy automatically meant "Bill and Dorothy" and
a visit to their home or an evening out to dinner was a most delightful
fellowship of joy, goodwill, gracious hospitality and stimulating
conversation and laughter.
Dorothy taught her friends to value the intangible
and immeasureable qualities of her respect, affection, moral values,
sense of justice, integrity, goodwill, discipline, sincerity, trustworthiness
and loyalty to our beliefs and to each other. Dr. Collings was no
paragon of virtues. We know she did not "suffer fools gladly"
but we know that she knew the difference between "self confidence"
and "arrogance". Gracious living, civility and courtesy
were her hallmark. Her strong respect for family life was not a
myth but a reality dating back to her West Indian (Jamaican) parents
and her own dedication to Bill her husband.
They both had very demanding careers - he in publishing
and she in librarianship, but a message she always shared, by example,
was one of reserving time for each other. Watching tennis at Wimbledon
and attending the Frankfurt Book Fair were reserved and special
times for both husband and wife. They laughed together, played together
and planned together. I do not recall ever having a conversation
with Dorothy - however short, when she did not ask me for Leslie
(my husband), Anthony and Ann (my children) and wait to get an answer.
We thank Dorothy most for the gifts of those messages
of examples of how to live life, survive obstacles, and help others
to improve the quality of their lives. "Live and let live"
was her theme. Daily many of us now seek to emulate this great lady.
"Some are born great,
some achieve greatness,
some have greatness thrust upon them."
There is no doubt that Dorothy Collings achieved
greatness through her unselfish and dedicated service to others.
She relayed an eloquent message to her friends of all ages, races,
religious creeds and political persuasion as she fearlessly took
her non-racial stand in the selection of her friends.
She shared her vast reservoir of experiences and
her amazing innovative solutions which came from a brilliant mind,
sometimes in witty, fearless repartees and always with sincerity
of purpose.
This magnificent gift she has left for the development
of the Library School of the University of the West Indies reflects
Dorothy's deep concern and love for Jamaica and the West Indies.
We thank her most sincerely and appreciate the confidence she had
in our future. We must use it well and attain the professional excellence
which her work portrayed.
We are delighted that her dear friend, Mary Davidson
has come from New York to make this presentation, and that Bill
Jackson, one of her oldest colleagues and close friend has come
from Illinois to salute Dorothy tonight. I join in extending special
thanks to them for the love they gave to her.
In her late years Dorothy would give inside glimpses
of a very special SOUL and left us a message of COURAGE in knowing
HOW to face death with dignity and without self pity, in knowing
how to release the soul from the flesh and so allow her spirit to
continue stimulating and inspiring us towards building a better
quality of life for all mankind.
Dorothy, your friends thank you for your loving
messages of HOW TO LIVE FOR OTHERS.
|
